Blog Love: What Katie Ate

If you haven't checked out Katie Quinn's extraordinary blog, What Katie Ate, do yourself a favour & head over there now.

Katie has put together a phenomenal Christmas post in the form of an online magazine. Holing out at a whopping 495 pages, the What Katie Ate Christmas blog post/magazine, is a visual feast for the eyes with gorgeous pics & mouthwatering recipes from a host of contributors from all corners of the globe.

Wow, wow & wow.

Well done Katie!

Just brilliant.

Sandy K

[above images via What Katie Ate]

Frank Gehry

Frank Gehry
photo by Pej Behdarvand

Frank Gehry finally lands Down Under!

The 81 year old, Pritzker Architecture Prize winning architect has unveiled plans for his first building in Australia. Sydney is the lucky city that will have its' architectural landscape graced with a Gehry masterpiece.

The 11 storey building has been commissioned by The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) & will feature two distinct external facades, one composed of undulating brick, referencing the sandstone & the dignity of Sydney’s urban brick heritage, & the other of large, angled sheets of glass to fracture & mirror the image of surrounding buildings.

It will be named the Dr Chau Chak Wing Building after the Australian-Chinese businessman who has donated $20 million towards the $150 million dollar building. Dr Chau Wak Wing has also donated a further $5 million to create an endowment fund for Australia-China student scholarships.

University of Technology Sydney Dr Chau Wak Wing Building (east facade) by Gehry Partners, LLP

University of Technology Sydney Dr Chau Wak Wing Building (view north) by Gehry Partners, LLP

The building already has an unofficial moniker, "The Treehouse". As Frank Gehry has put it, "a trunk and core of activity &... branches for people to connect & do their private work." The building will provide teaching, learning, research & office accommodation for the UTS Business School. There will be extensive public spaces in the new building, including student lounges, cafes & outdoor roof terraces.

University of Technology Sydney Dr Chau Wak Wing Building (section view of west elevation) by Gehry Partners, LLP

Besides designing what I'm sure will be a remarkable building for UTS, the other major benefit of the association with Mr. Gehry, is that four architectural masters students will undertake internships in Mr. Gehry's studio in L.A. early next year. What a once in a lifetime opportunity for those lucky students!

The building will commence construction in 2012 with completion expected by the start of the academic year of 2014.

University of Technology Sydney Dr Chau Wak Wing Building (section view of west elevation) by Gehry Partners, LLP

University of Technology Sydney Dr Chau Wak Wing Building (west elevation) by Gehry Partners, LLP

Other examples of Gehry's impressive works include: 

Guggenheim Museum Bilboa, Bilboa, Spain

view of DZ Bank atrium from lobby, Berlin, Germany

Experience Music Centre, Seattle, U.S.A

Dancing House, Prague

Beekman Tower, New York City, U.S.A -  under construction & due for completion shortly

Sandy K

[image of Frank Gehry via Pej Behdarvand, all above images of UTS Dr Chau Wak Wing Building via UTS, all Frank Gehry building images via Wikipedia]

Covet Garden Issue 5

Covet Garden Issue 5 is now live. Take a peek inside Daniel & Ben's beautiful row home in Toronto.

Daniel & Ben are world traveller's whose home reflects their exhaustive travels in a simple yet refined way. Definitely worth a look.

Sandy K

[above image from Covet Garden]

360 degrees

“The Saints are Coming” and I will “Rejoice”!

It's "Sunday Bloody Sunday" but it still feels “Faraway, So Close (Stay)”.

I will go “With or Without You” to “Where the Streets have No Name” in the “City of Blinding Lights”.
“When Love Comes To Town” “Tomorrow” night, at “Twilight”, it will be the “Sweetest Thing”.

“Love is Blindness”, but “The Unforgettable Fire” will “Light My Way” with “Desire” to “Surrender”. It’s “Even Better Than The Real Thing”

It will be like “The First Time”. I may even be “Stuck in a Moment” & when it’s “Gone” it will be “So Cruel”.

“Night & Day” I hope it goes on, but I won’t become “Numb”. They have “Mysterious Ways” about them.

I may even become a “Party Girl” who is “Out of Control”, "Dancing Barefoot" like it’s my “Last Night on Earth” & I will be “One Step Closer” to losing my “Pride”

A “Beautiful Day” which I hope lasts “Until the End of The World”

It will be a "Celebration" with "Everlasting Love" in my heart "All Because of You".

Sandy K
[above image from who knows where as silly me lost the source]

Lonny December Mini Holiday Issue

Lonny has produced a "Mini" Holiday issue for December. There's nothing "mini" about it. It's a good 189 pages & having a super quick flick through, looks pretty good to me. Their cover also seems to be on trend with a tablecloth in a not too dissimilar shade to Pantone's Colour of the Year for 2011, Honeysuckle.

Lonny has also changed it's publishing schedule for 2011. The bi-monthly magazine will publish it's first issue for 2011 in January.

Go to Lonny to enjoy a festive read.

Sandy K

[above image from Lonny]

Pantone's 2011 Colour of The Year

Well, Pantone has just announced its' Colour of the Year for 2011

Drum roll please.

& the winner is .........

Congratulations to Honeysuckle!

Although spirited & lively, Honeysuckle would not have been my choice. In small doses it works for me, but more so in jewellery & fashion rather than interiors.

Best of luck to Honeysuckle as she ventures out into the big world of interiors for 2011.

Sandy K

[above image blatantly pinched from ShoppingBlog.Com]

Covet Garden Issue 4

Covet Garden Issue 4

Issue 4 of Covet Garden is out now. Always worth a look & as usual a great issue.

As a special treat this month, we get two issues! The 2nd issue for this month will be out on December 15th.

Sandy K

[above image via Covet Garden]

Rue - Holiday Nov/Dec 2010 Issue 2

Just a heads up. Issue 2 of Rue goes live shortly - 21st November (US time). Also, it's bigger than the first issue! How is that possible?

Click here to view.

Sandy K

[above image via Rue]

Magazine Sneaky Peak - Inside Out Christmas 2010 Issue (Vol. 4 No. 1)

Inside Out Christmas 2010 - cover

Sandy K

[above image impatiently scanned by Sandy K]

Belle Dec/Jan 2010/11 Issue - Part One

Belle Dec/Jan 2010/11

Seems I was a bit ambitious about posting before midnight. Looks like I missed my deadline by about 1 hour. Anyhow, on to the outstanding Dec/Jan issue of Belle. Besides the obligatory Christmas gift list feature, this issue is full of amazing homes. Each home featured, has exceptionally lengthy coverage which is fantastic & greatly appreciated.

Besides the magnificent homes featured, I stumbled across some interesting bits & pieces of which I have featured two.

The first is Beatrix Rowe of Beatrix Rowe Interior Design. The one page article addresses Beatrix's design influences which include industrial designer Achille Castiglioni, modernists such as Mies van der Rohe, Richard Neutra & John Lautner. Beatrix was raised by a very creative mother who also encouraged her daughter's appreciation of beauty & design. Beatrix attended interior design school in Melbourne & spent her formative design years with industry heavyweights John Wardle Architects & Hecker Phelan & Guthrie (now known as Hecker Guthrie) before starting her own firm in 2003.

The below two pictures are a very, very brief look at Beatrix's work on Grace Darling House.

The other product which leaped out from the page, was the work of London-based Swedish illustrator, Camilla Meijer. Camilla's draws her intricate designs on A4 paper & then scales them up & turns them into wallpaper, lampshades & cushions. I have shown you just a snippet of her fabulous designs.

Camilla Meijer

A collage of some of Camilla's wonderful designs

The three homes I have decided to highlight in this post are magnificent & although each is of a different aesthetic, I would happily reside in any of them.

The first is an Italianate mansion in Sydney's eastern suburbs. The home has been given a fresh look by architect Robert Brown of Casey Brown & interior designer Thomas Hamel. The result is a blend of old & new, traditional & modern, formal & informal which has led to the house being exactly what the owners & their four children under 10 required for an environment of relaxed family living.

The next home featured is to be found nestled amongst the hills & valleys of the Luberon in southern France. This magnificent home belongs to Thierry Gautier, a director at jeweller Van Cleef & Arpels, based in Paris. The home was designed as a camera obscura by Karl Fournier & Olivier Marty of Studio KO.

Now, the third house featured belongs to the superb Melbourne designer David Hicks. This home features David's massive collection of contemporary & vintage art, furniture & artefacts. There are so many things I covet in this home, it's ridiculous.

Well, that's part one finally done. Hopefully I will post part two by the end of Friday.

Sandy K

[all above images impatiently scanned by Sandy K except the images relating to Beatrix Rowe & her design of Grace Darling House via Peter Bennetts Architectural Photographer, the image of Camilla Meijer via Notes on Design & the image of her work is a collage created by Sandy K of images found via Camilla Meijer Design]

Magazine Sneaky Peek - Home Beautiful Dec 2010

Home Beautiful Dec 2010 - cover

Yes, yet another magazine landed in my letter box today. I am feeling overwhelmed. I'm yet to finish perusing the magazines from my previous sneaky peak posts & now also realise that I haven't posted a pic of Inside Out's Christmas issue. I'm such a bad blogger!

My newest distraction this week has been me joining Pinterest. I am addicted. Let me know if any of you are also on Pinterest. I love sharing inspirational images this way - so quick & easy.

Now, back to this month's cover of Home Beautiful. Unfortunately my scanner isn't reproducing the cover how I wanted it to. The black Home Beautiful masthead, "to cherish" & "150+" are actually a deep red foil - absolutely stunning & perfect for a Christmas issue.

OK, now my promise to you all. Come hell or high water, I WILL post a review of at least one of the magazines by midnight Wednesday (AEST).

Sandy K

[above image impatiently scanned & uploaded by Sandy K]

Magazine Sneaky Peek - Real Living Dec 2010 Issue 60

Real Living Dec 2010 - cover

Holy Moly! I just checked my mailbox & what do I find? Yet another magazine that requires my immediate attention. I'm so far behind with my reading. This means, a marathon session tonight with round ups to come very soon.

Sandy K

[above image impatiently scanned by Sandy K]

Magazine Sneaky Peek - House & Garden (AUS) Dec 2010

House & Garden (AUS) Dec 2010 - cover

Another cover to whet your appetite. Hopefully I will post my round up on Belle's Dec/Jan issue soon.

Sandy K

[above image impatiently scanned by Sandy K]

Magazine Sneaky Peek - Belle Dec/Jan 2010/11

Belle Dec/Jan 2010/11 - cover

Wow, my humble little blog has 25 followers! Never imagined that would happen. Thanks to all of you. I'm honoured that you take time out of your busy day to peruse my blog. I also wanted to thank you all for hanging around even though my posting has been sporadic of late.

Sandy K

[above image impatiently scanned by Sandy K]